


Renewal

by SLWalker



Series: Game of Thrones: Alderaan [16]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hiking, Nature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 03:22:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13755252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLWalker/pseuds/SLWalker
Summary: Obi-Wan goes hiking with Maul and rediscovers a wonder he had thought he'd lost the ability to feel.





	Renewal

**Author's Note:**

> A post-Strays story written sometime back, now updated and brought over here.

If Alderaan’s natural beauty wasn’t enough, the life woven deep into the world would have made it so.

Obi-Wan had been to many worlds, of many dispositions; in recent years, alone in the Force (seemingly), he had lost most of his wonder for the sometimes incredible vistas that he saw there. From wide seas to burning rivers of lava; from the pale pinks of sand in dying sunlight to wild violet forests under blood red skies, they glanced off of his perception and then passed by largely unnoticed but for whatever he needed to know for survival.

He wasn’t sure why this was different.

Alderaan had been civilized since before the founding of the Old Republic; there were theories that humankind had even originated on this world, though no one had yet been able to prove that. But her place in the galaxy was all but revered; this world which had once known bloodshed and civil war, before becoming a culture of pacifists and scientists and artists. Somehow, despite her long history of civilization, despite a population of two billion, she remained largely pristine.

The air up here in the mountains was cool and occasionally patches of snow clung to the deeper shadows; the breeze wove through the under-story, the evergreens, and Obi-Wan was increasingly grateful for the new wardrobe he had been gifted, even if at the time he had struggled desperately with allowing it. Somehow, the Organas – all of them – had managed to not only ensconce him into the palace, but also to tame his indignation and largely soothe away the bristles he had grown since– well, since likely forever, but certainly they had increased in number since the decimation of the Order.

Here, he was rediscovering a quiet joy in learning. And in teaching.

Maul still presented a unique challenge; he was picking up new techniques, often small ones, but there remained a strange divide between what he was consciously capable of -- some levitation, pushing, summoning, a very minor start on healing -- and what he was _unconsciously_ capable of. Obi-Wan had seen no more spectacular displays of power since that avalanche and the storm before it, but he could still feel it when Maul allowed him to, the amount of potential there.

They worked at it steadily, and Maul _was_ learning, so until some epiphany presented itself, Obi-Wan was resolved to continue doing the best he could to be a fair and open-minded teacher and to levy no expectations upon his student that were unreasonable.

If anything, the mental exercise was good for him. Patience was never one of his strengths, but he was becoming better at it and intended to continue to.

Today, though, they weren’t here to do any practicing. Or to learn any new disciplines. Instead, Maul had asked if Obi-Wan wanted to go hiking and Obi-Wan had agreed, and thus they were into one of the giant wilderness preserves that Alderaan maintained, working their way uphill.

Despite not being here to do anything, aside walk and apparently enjoy the scenery, though, the Force was very strong here. It was on all of Alderaan, really, but up here it seemed moreso.

Bail had not been exaggerating when he had said Maul was Alderaanian in every way which mattered, something Obi-Wan had only lost sight of for awhile and never intended to again: It was a fact that this world loved Maul. And that he loved Alderaan back. And climbing uphill, through the bands of sunlight and shadow, Obi-Wan sometimes lost all distinction between what of the powerful Force signature ahead belonged to Maul and what belonged to the planet, they were so harmonized.

He was half lost in contemplation over it when he first heard the noise, like rushing water; when he came out of his own head, he realized that was exactly what it was and doubled his pace, following the boot-prints sunk into the healthy black soil of the forest floor so he could catch up to Maul.

“Here, watch your step,” Maul said, scaling the gray rock with the ease of practice, before turning back at a crouch to offer Obi-Wan a steadying hand.

Obi-Wan didn’t need it, but he took it anyway, climbing up after, his old and scuffed boots finding footholds easily. “Pity we didn’t bring a picnic,” he joked, following Maul sideways through a space between boulders.

“Well, I didn’t bring a whole picnic, but I brought snacks.”

Obi-Wan was starting to feel the spray coming off what had to be a waterfall; could see it over the natural walls formed around him. He supposed he should have felt claustrophobic, but he didn’t; there was no threat here. “I may have to bother you for some.”

“It’s no bother if I offer them.” Maul’s voice contained the shrug he wasn’t easily able to convey for the tight space.

Obi-Wan was about to reply to that, maybe something pithy, but when he emerged from the stone passageway, the words caught in his throat and dissolved there to a sense of– of wonder.

 _Oh,_ he thought, the breath leaving him in a rush.

Tumbling down and down and down was a waterfall, roaring for the snow melt, slowly carving its eternal path into a mountain that had been here longer than time, and would likely be here long after the measuring of the same. It danced from ridge to ridge, bouncing almost joyfully down the weathered shale, until it landed in dimly lit mist and foam at the bottom of an incredibly deep, incredibly steep drop before whirling, dancing and then sliding away into the dark canyon it had made.

Here, they were a third under where it looked like it came out of the mountain itself, and two thirds above the deep shadows, and the sunlight which cut through the trees on the opposite ridge turned the world into rainbows and reflections.

Obi-Wan’s eyes stung. He wasn’t even sure why, except that it had been so long since he had space in his heart and mind to wonder over something, to find joy in it like this. To feel the beauty of a living world and touch the Force in a way he had always found more elusive than not.

“The rivers all speak to one another,” Maul said, thoughtfully; even in the din of the waterfall, he didn’t need to shout to be heard, standing close. “I think that if I listen long enough, maybe someday I’ll understand what they’re saying.”

Obi-Wan was a little embarrassed by his own composure slipping, and tried to surreptitiously get rid of his tears, but he probably failed. His voice was rough as he said, with a surprising amount of certainty, “I think you will.”


End file.
